The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, , has ordered the demolition of buildings illegally constructed on land originally allocated to foreign embassies in the diplomatic zone of Katampe Extension in Abuja.
Wike issued the directive on Friday while addressing journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects across the .
Minister Condemns Land Invasion
According to the minister, the land was officially allocated in March 2008 to several diplomatic missions for residential purposes but was later taken over by a private developer who began construction without approval from the (FCDA).
Wike described the development as illegal and vowed that the structures would be removed.
“We cannot allow this kind of land invasion to continue. Somebody just came here, took the land and started developing it without approval,” he said.
Embassies Affected
The minister listed several diplomatic missions whose allocated plots were affected by the illegal development. These include embassies of:
- Thailand
- Bulgaria
- Syria
- Somalia
- Serbia and Montenegro
- Japan
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Senegal
A portion of the land was also reserved for the for a power station project.
Arrest Made Over Illegal Development
Wike disclosed that the suspected developer responsible for the project has been arrested and will soon face prosecution.
According to him, law enforcement authorities are currently investigating the case and legal proceedings will begin shortly.
“The man has been arrested and he will be charged in court. The police are already handling the investigation,” he said.
Infrastructure Projects Near Completion
During the inspection, the minister visited several ongoing infrastructure projects, including road projects connecting Wuse to the Central Area and the Tungan-Madaki road near the airport corridor.
He expressed optimism that many of the projects would be completed ahead of the third anniversary of the administration of .
Wike reiterated that the FCT Administration would continue to enforce development regulations to protect government land and ensure proper urban planning in the capital city.
